to the officers and men for their cheerfulness and attention to every duty, the hearty co-operation at all times displayed by them, and his admiration of their cool, determined courage in every engagement while under his command; also his regrets in losing them from his division. He wishes them all success in their new brigade, and can assure them that they have now a brigade commander with whom they will be well pleased and in whom they can place their entire confidence.

By command of Brigadier General W. H. Jackson:

GEO. MOORMAN,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

[24.]

JONESVILLE, VA., February 7,[1863.]

President DAVIS:

DEAR SIR: Two of my twelve-months' men have just come in; left Falmouth, Ky. (Pendleton County), on the 26th of January. They say that the troops in Kentucky now feel (as they never did before) that they are in an enemy's country. They say there is a very great change among the people in our favor; they say everything is coming right very fast; that the Union men are alarmed; that they have invited General Desha, of Harrison, to resume his seat in the Legislature, which is certainly one sign of returning reason. They say that there are only 500 men at Mount Sterling and none from there to Pound Gap. Tom Greenwade and John T. Williams are threatening Mount Sterling with 100 or so of my recruits. They killed Jenkins and his son, of Bath who lived near Mud Lick Springs. They keep their path open to Owingsville. Williams is one of my captains, Greenwade is recruiting a company for my command. Captain Bradshaw returned day before yesterday. He chased about 150 Federal cavalry across Slate Creek, and says they think my men are all in the mountains of Kentucky. (What a pity it is they are not!) The most important information they bring is that on the 24th of January at Elizabethtown 600 Indians laid down their arms and refused to participate any further in the contest. The Ohioans (one regiment) ordered to Richmond, Ky., from Lexington refused to march. Wolford certainly said he would not take up arms any more. These men think if I were to go into the State now I would get five men to one I obtained before, and I submit the statement to your consideration to judge whether you had better not give me the discretion to go into the State whenever I deem it advisable to do so. I am under orders here and do not feel at liberty to exercise my own judgment. I think it would be well to advance my mounted force at least and to harass the people against us so as to give confidence to our friends. General Pegram, of Virginia [who] is ordered (I hear from himself) to make a raid into Kentucky, applies to me for my men as guides, and propose toy across my front on his enterprise. I submit to you as a soldier that this is very in just to me, and would be a reflection upon me I could not stand. If it is done I must retire from the service, for I should esteem it an indignity to me to be kept here with my Kentuckians under orders, and for Virginia cavalry to be sent into my own State under the circumstances when I wished to go. All the corrective you can apply is simply to let me retain my powers formerly given to me and to let me exercise my own discretion about entering the State when I deem it judicious to do so. Please reply to me and direct to me at Estillville, Scott County,